Improvement in umbrellas



1. B. BLAI. Umbre'las .Patented May I3, 1873.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. BLAIR, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENTIN UMBRELLAS.

Specification formingpart of Letters Patent No. 138,729, dated May 13, 1873; application filed April 12, 187e.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. BLAIR. of the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Umbrellas; and I do hereby declare the following` to be a clear and exact description of the nature thereof, sufficient to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to fully understand, make, and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification, in which- Figures 1 and 2 are side elevations of the top of an umbrella as embodying my invention, and, respectively, in open and closed p0- sitions. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the inner portion of `the device.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in several the figures.

This invention relates to a drip-cup,`whicl1 is attached to the rod of an umbrella, and

consists in adapting the ordinary ferrule of the umbrella as a cover or sheath for the cup. Referring to the drawing, A represents the rod or stick of an'umbrella, and B a drip-cup,

which is applied thereto. l-'lv`his drip-cup is preferably constructed of fabric, which isattached to ribs, which may be bent to be elastic,or to ribs not so bent, underneath the upper ends of which will be placed a rubber ring, the object being, in either case, to throw open the cup and receive the water dripping from the umbrella at the end containing the cup. The ribs will be gathered together at and surround the top of the rod or stick, and confined thereon by a sleeve, C, which encircles the upper ends of the ribs. D represents a ferrule of an umbrella, fitted on the top of the stick, and its collar or ange E bears against the central portion of the body of the umbrella for strengthening said portion, as is well known. This ferrule, in the present case, is fitted over the cup B, and otherwise occupies theposition and possesses the functions usual to such ferrules, and said ferrule has a sliding motion 'K on the cup, so that by withdrawing it from the body of the umbrella the cup is exposed and permitted to expand. Again, by forcing in the ferrule the cup is contracted and enveloped or concealed, so that the umbrella does not present the appearance of having the drip- -cup vattachment thereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv l. The ferrule of the umbrella, adapted to cover and uncover the applied drip-cup, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.-

2. The sliding ferrule with slot a c and the screw or pin b, in combination with the dripcup and rod or stick of an umbrella, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

The above signed by me this 25th day of March, 187 3.

JOHN B. BLAIR.v

Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDER'SHE'IM, MILLARD F. WALTON 

